Most of the ones on the list look fine, I would just avoid some more complex ones (above 3.5 on BGG) like Horizons of Spirit Island or Tzolk'in

Very true. This game ended with a difference of only 2 points

Don't have to imagine a drunken night if you play like my friends and I do where you take a drink whenever you have to take a drink in game

Our favorite game at home is probably Lost Ruins of Arnak currently.

Red Dragon Inn is pretty easy to learn and plays very similar to Villainous.

Firstly, giving up on a location and letting a little blight happen is ok- typically spot number 2 which starts with a city is too hard or not worth dealing with early. Another good tip is that recalling your hand is almost always the worst growth option so try to use your entire hand effectively.

Jaipur might be a good one to try maybe?

Looks like Trio. (Which you can also see on the backs of the facedown black cards)

Flamecraft works with 5, only played it with that many once though.

If I see a theme, maybe it's co-op and a little deckbuilding. Maybe give The Loop a try?

How loose are we the 45 minutes to explain requirement because I couldnt even teach flamecraft to my 60+ year old mother in that time period let alone something more complex.